Windows Service Startup Modes

Monday, May 23, 2005

When you startup your Windows Services that are written in .NET, you can specify three startup modes:

Automatic. When the system starts up, the service will startup as if it is set to Automatic in the Services applet.
Manual. When the system starts up, the service will startup as if it is set to Manual in the Services applet.
Disabled. When the system starts up, the service will not startup as if the service is set in the Disabled mode in the Services applet.

These modes are provided by the enum System.ServiceProcess.ServiceStartMode.

3 Comments

One important distinction I have been bitten with is that a Manual service can be started "automatically" if another service that is set to start has a dependency on the service. If you really do not want to have a service starte, no matter what, then Disabled is the best bet...

Douglas Reilly - Monday, May 23, 2005 11:22:00 AM

This post is so utterly useless!!! I can't believe that you actually posted such useless information and wasted everyone's time.

Stan - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 2:51:00 AM

Almost as useless as the comment!

Stan - Monday, November 17, 2008 2:47:14 PM

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